Oral hearing on Tara Tailings Pond

An Bord Pleanala has agreed to hold an oral hearing into the controversial planning application for a major extension to the Tara Mines tailings pond.
Last November, Meath County Council granted planning permission for a lateral extension to the existing tailings storage facility in the townland of Randalstown and the construction of an Integrated Constructed Wetlands (ICW) system in the townland of Simonstown .
The proposed extension will cover an area of 58 hectares, extend to a height of 22m above ground level and will provide a storage volume of approximately 9.6 million cubic metres of mine tailings (13.6 million tonnes).
Local residents concerned about the adverse effects of the development on the local community had objected to the initial proposal and have now appealed the decision to An Bord Pleanala.
The planning board this week indicated it would hold an oral hearing into the proposal but no date or venue has yet been decided.
Boliden Tara Mines has indicated that mining would continue until at least 2023 and beyond if the extension to the tailings pond goes ahead.
However local residents, who have expressed concerns about health implications, traffic and groundwater in the area have appealed against the decision.